Okay so right now Part 5 is up of A Starr is born, Part 6 is ready to go. I am working hard on getting both Push and Book 3 in the Dream World series, I am just getting the final proof read done. Anyway, with one son doing exams, one now home schooled, things are busy here. We now have chickens again, and we hatched them from eggs, so that has been fun. We are waiting on three more, we have 10 that hatched from the first time we hatched them, they will be 6 weeks next week. We cannot believe how fast they grew from baby chicks to looking like a chicken/cockerel. Which is which, we still do not know. Below are a few pics from when they hatched to when they were put into their new home in the garden. The 3rd and 4th pic were when the cage was being cleaned out, just in case you were wondering. Which had to be done at least two or three times a day. Will keep you updated on what sex they end up being, hopefully we have some chickens, laying eggs and all. Looking forward to that. Anyway, best get to the kettle on, Part 7 will not write itself.

Part 3Six months had passed since Maxine gave birth to her daughter, Starr. Her mother was right; being a single mum was hard. She was more than grateful for the help that her mother and his parents gave her. Thanks to them she had returned to her jobs and continued to support herself. She had hoped that Toby would want to be part of his daughter’s life, but he never once contacted her. His parents continued to apologise for his behaviour. She had told them that he was a grown man and had made his choice.The week had dragged; Maxine could not wait for the weekend. She had a few days holiday and planned spending them with her daughter. She missed her terribly while she worked. When she worked in the bar, she had no time to think about her, except when her boobs throbbed. Her boss was great, allowed her to express when she needed to. It was like clockwork, at eight she spent her break, eating and pumping.Boobs empty she returned to the shift and served those that arrived for the late shift, the youngsters always tried it once a week to buy a drink. She told them time and time again, no ID, no sale and that they should leave.Glass in her hand she dried it and added it the shelf above her head.“You out after work tonight?” she asked.“Yeah, always. You not coming again?”“Nah, I have got to get back. You have one for me okay?”She nodded, as Tiffany she returned to serving one the awaiting customers.Ten minutes later, she was called away to help in the restaurant. It happened many times when she worked. She was the one that was asked to help elsewhere. Maxine did not mind, she liked to do whatever was asked of her. Sometimes the bar could get busy, and she got a little flustered. Most of the staff worked later than she did and some were not happy about her leaving earlier than they did, but she took the job on with the hours they had offered her. It was not her fault, and now due to her daughter and babysitters she could not work any later.Ten on the dot, she collected her coat and said her goodbyes. She then made her way home to allow his parents to go home. They would not want to stay any later, and Maxine could not ask that off them.She unlocked the door and entered the flat, the street was quiet. The sound of her daughter’s cries made her heart miss a beat.“Is she okay?” she asked.“Yeah, she just woke up. I think she needs another feed, she is a hungry little thing tonight.”“She has been eating a lot more lately; I should feed her and put her back down. Thank you again for tonight.”“It’s our pleasure. I realised earlier it’s your birthday next week.”“Yeah, I cannot believe I will be twenty-three already. Time is flying by, and Starr will be six months old.”“I know. She is a dear little thing. Just a shame my son doesn’t…”“Dear we said we wouldn’t talk about him here, besides he…”“Yes dear, he has a lot going on just now?”Maxine narrowed her eyes.“What!”“I guess we should tell you. It affects you too and I don’t want you reading about it. I told him didn’t we dear, that he should tell you himself?”“Tell me what?”“He’s getting married.”“He’s what!”“I know. It’s been a shock to all of us, and she is a nice girl, she is, but you two were, he…I…”“No, in the end, we weren’t. I know that, but I am glad you told me. Glad I did not have to read it and find out that way. I hope he is happy.”“Oh, he is,” his father said. “To damn happy, ashamed of himself he should be.”“What else are you not telling me?”“Oh nothing dear, we better go. We said too much already. We will see you on Sunday!”“I have the weekend off. I did say didn’t I?”“Probably, we could pop over unless….”“I don’t know what we are doing yet. I planned a weekend with just the two of us. I will call you if my plans change.”She nodded and hugged her goodbye before they both left. Maxine added the expressed milk to the fridge and sat in the chair she used to feed Starr in.“Hungry again are you young lady, come on then, but then it’s to bed with you.”

Half an hour later, fed and changed, Maxine carried her daughter to her cot and laid her in it. She needed a shower, before she could climb into bed. Her eyes were heavy, and the water felt amazing on her aching body. Running her hands down her body, she washed away the day. Her stomach now flat, she was amazed that her stomach had returned to its almost original state. She knew many mums stomachs did not. She was lucky, her own mother envied her. She had put so much on when she had been pregnant; her body had never been the same again.Her breasts had gone up two cup sizes when pregnant and another once she started to feed her. She loved them bigger and wished they would remain that size, but knew the moment she stopped they would shrink. Her mother warned her that they would. All you need in life she had said, was a good mattress, shoes and a good bra.Towel wrapped around her body, she made her way to her room. Maxine tiptoed into the bedroom and saw her daughter was fast asleep. She then made her way into the living room where she dried and changed into her bed things.Switching the kettle on, she set a mug down on the side and was soon settled on the sofa, the tea in her hand. Closing her eyes briefly she felt the hot scolding water trickle over the edge of her cup and onto her hand, she screamed out in pain. The cup went flying the sound of it crashing down woke her daughter. She sighed, set the cup on the table, ran her hand under the tap for a few minutes, thankful it was only a little that had landed on her. She wrapped her hand and went to her daughter and soothed her back to sleep. Sat on her bed, leaning over the cot, her eyes heavy once again.

She woke the next morning, slumped over the cot, her hand resting on her daughters back. She sat up, before lying down and closing her eyes, not daring to move. She needed another half an hour to stretch her back out. They had no rush to get up, she had a day out planned, just the two of them.As she looked out the window an hour later, she looked up at the sky, dark clouds formed. She should still go out; a little rain would not hurt.She packed all they needed and added the rain cover to the pushchair before making her out of the flat; the boys were out again, the music blaring, but not as loud as before. They were better, but still did not attend school. They wolf-whistled as she passed by them; she rolled her eyes and marched on. They were not spoiling her weekend off.

She had missed the first bus, but she did not mind, they would catch the next one. Laying the pushchair back, Starr’s eyes closed, she had slept most of the night, but seemed she was tired again. If she slept now, she hoped she would be awake to see the animals once they arrived.The bus arrived and Maxine boarded and made her way down to the seat reserved for pushchair users. She watched the traffic and recalled her mother’s words once again on how hard being a single mum would be. She had been right, for the most part, but when she smiled or laughed at her, held her finger, it was all worth it.The rain held off for the first hour she was there, the animals were on form. Starr was awake when she saw the monkey’s swinging on ropes. She giggled and watched in amazement. Even at a young age Maxine could see the pure pleasure on her face.The day was fun, and just as they reached the elephant enclosure did the rain fall, huge droplets of water came crashing down, hitting her hard, stinging her face. She dashed for shelter and waited for it to blow over. An hour later, Starr was hungry, but the rain had not stopped. She decided to call it a day and made her way home. Deciding to pop into her mothers, it was closer than her own home. She arrived soaked to the skin. Her mother opened the door and ushered her inside.“Where have been in this weather?”“The Zoo.”“The Zoo?”“Yes, I took Starr to see the animals; I wanted to have a day out just the two of us.”“I would have come with you if you had asked. You could have chosen a day with better weather, look at you. Go upstairs and get out of those wet things. Go find some of my leggings in my room. You will have to go bra-less I don’t have any that would fit you.”Maxine did as she was told and made her way up to her room.“Did you bring any bottles for her?”“No, I brought my boobs; she can have some of that in the jar. I won’t be a minute.”“A jar, what did I tell you about jar food.”“Mum, it was for the day out. I don’t feed her that all the time, you know that. One jar will not hurt her.”“No, no, no, I will make her something. Fresh is best.”“Mum, that will take too long. Just give her the jar for today, she is my daughter, and I said it's okay, so it’s okay.”“Fine, but don’t blame me if she becomes one of those fussy eaters.”

Opening a drawer in her mother’s room, she put her hand inside and looked for a pair of black leggings, but she did not expect was to find what she did. She knew instantly what it was and wished she had not found it. Instead, she covered it back up and pulled on the leggings and a t-shirt from one of the other drawers. She giggled to herself as she imagined her mother finding out she discovered it. She would never mention it, she could not do that, ever. To her mother or father.Entering the kitchen, she found her mother feeding Starr; she gobbled it up as she always did and wanted more. She had only been on solids a short time, but as a hungry baby she sometimes wanted more. She mainly had breast milk first thing and before bed now and the odd one in the middle of the night, she was growing fast, and Maxine wanted to continue to feed her for as long as she could, she loved the closeness of it and how it made her feel connected to her child.“Stay for tea, we can order in Chinese if you fancy it? Your dad loves Chinese.”Maxine nodded.“Why not stay the night? Doesn’t look like the rain is going to stop anytime soon. If you want to? We would love you two to stay right dear?”“Of course, and I do love Chinese,” her father, Warren said, walking over to the cupboard and opening a drawer.“Okay, but only for one night.”“Good, I will order the food, and you can find a movie we can watch.”“Okay,” Maxine agreed, sitting on the sofa, Starr now in her bouncer. “Don’t look at me like that, you little tinker. I smell you.”

The next morning, Maxine woke to the best night sleep she had in ages. She did not hear her daughter wake in the night. If she had, she had an idea her mother had seen to her. She had not told her mother about Toby, it hurt her now thinking that he had found someone to settle down with and that someone was not her. She knew they would never have worked out, they were right about that. She was still angry with him for not wanting any part of their daughter’s life. She had a feeling they were not telling her something, and it worried her what she thought it was, and the reason he had popped the question. Yet, with her, he was not interested. She knew in a heartbeat his new girlfriend, his fiancé was pregnant.“Morning, did you sleep well?”“I did, but there is something I need to tell you.”“Please tell me you are not pregnant again already?”“No, Mum.”“Thank God. I love Starr, but you would be able to cope with a second baby already. Anyway, go on.”“Toby is getting married.”“He is, to who?”“I don’t know. All I know is he is. His mum and dad told me.”“Oh.”“Yeah, but I had a feeling they had other news too, and I have an idea of what that is.”“Yeah I can too. I am so sorry honey, he is her father, but he has not been a Dad. Maybe he will step up now that…”“So, because he knocked up his new partner, and he is happy with her. I should let him back in mine life and Starr’s. She has no idea who he is.”“True, so what do you want to do today?”“I don’t know, but I should get back to the flat.”“Why?”“I only have so much with me, and…”“Okay, well the least you can do is stay for breakfast.”“Sure that sounds good. Is Starr still sleeping?”“Yes, she woke in the night, but soon fell asleep again.”“I wondered why I did not hear her.”Her mother nodded and made her way out of the room. Maxine got up and followed her to the kitchen and sat at the table, while her mother made them cup of tea.Tea made her mother sat opposite her.“I really wish you could move back in with us.”“I am sure Dad wants that, where he is?”“In bed, I will take him a tea up.”Just as she said it, her father walked in carrying Starr.“Morning, think this little lady is hungry.”“Thanks, Dad, give her here. Come on you little monkey, did you wake your granddad up?”“No, I was awake, and your mother is right; you should move in here.”“I am sorry Dad, I am grateful I am, but I have my name down for a better, two-bed place. I am hoping to get the call to say one is available soon.”“I hope so, that street used to be a lovely place. The owner of those flats should be ashamed of himself.”“I know Dad; I hope we get to move out soon too.”“Well as soon as you know when we will help you move.”“I was hoping you would say that.”

An hour later, she sat alone in her flat, Maxine thought about Toby and his pregnant fiancé. What if he wanted to take Starr, now he was a family unit? Would he do that to her?

Part 4A few days passed. News of a new home being available was just what she needed. Viewing it was the next step to see if she wanted to take it. She knew it had to be better than the one she was living in and a bonus that it would be far away from those boys.

The next morning his parents called her to see if they could come over. Maxine agreed to allow them to visit. She spent a little time tidying up before they arrived.Starr was still asleep when they arrived.“Hi,” she said as she allowed them to enter the flat.“How are you dear?” his father asked as he sat down on the sofa and waited for his wife to join him.“Maxine, dear sit down.”She did as they asked and watched them. She knew what they wanted, what news they came to tell. Why were they the ones telling her?“We thought didn’t we dear that we would take you and Starr out for lunch?”“You do not have to do that.”“Yes, we do. We should have a nice cup of tea before we go. Shall I put the kettle on?”“I can do it,” Maxine said, as she heard Starr stir.“In that case I will get her, and see to her if you don’t mind?”“Of course not, I don’t mind at all, you know where everything is.”Maxine entered the kitchen area, opened cupboards, pulled out mugs, milk, teabags and sugar. Then made the drinks and Starr’s breakfast, a bowl of readybrek. Carrying it through she found her daughter in her bouncer, dressed.“Can I feed her?”“Of course,” she said, handing her the bowl. Which she took, and her daughter opened her mouth the moment she saw the bowl of food before her.“She is a hungry little one, isn’t she? Dear, I think we better tell her the other news we needed to tell her!”“I have an idea of what it is.”“I said she would didn’t I dear. My son has a lot to answer for.”“Your son does. How far along is she?”“Well, we wanted to tell you didn’t we? She is already six months pregnant.”Her face fell as it dawned on her, why he was not at their daughter’s birth. “He got her pregnant when I was in labour with his daughter. He was too busy…” she could not finish what she was saying.“We know. We realised that and we are sorry, we…”“You do not need to keep apologising for him. I guess this lunch was where you were going to tell me or had your plans for them to be there?”“You were right again dear. She knows what we are planning, I told you didn’t I?”“You did, sweetie. We meant no harm. We just want what is best for all of you, and now he realises he wants to be part of his daughter's life.”“Does he now?”“Yes, we have tried talking to him, but Ivy. She seems to have made the impact we could not.”“Ivy is that her name?”“Yes,” he said picking up the mug of tea and downed half of it.“So I you wanted me to meet her today?”“Yes, we did. You do, I thought…”“We thought dear. We thought it was best we were there.”“Thank you.” It was all she could say. She had to meet the woman who had stolen his heart.

The café was quiet. Three other tables had diners at them. His parents, who had to remind her again to call them by their names, nodded and took a seat. They waited for them to arrive. They were on time, Ivy entered, Maxine looked her up and down, she was not what she was expecting, plain, she was not ugly, far from it. Yet, she was not stunning either, which made her feel a little better, but her stomach was huge. Bigger than her own bump had been, she looked from her own daughter back to them as they walked towards them. She swallowed, unsure if she could do this. Her heart was racing, he still looked good, and she did her best to push all the memories of them together. His parents stood. She hugged them both as they greeted them like a family would. It made her heart sink. She realised the difference in their relationship and saw the way he looked at her. It hurt a lot to know he loved her. That he wanted their baby. He could not look at Maxine, could not look at their daughter.Ivy was the one who spoke first.“Maxine, it is nice to meet you.” She held out her hand for Maxine to shake it, which she did.Maxine nodded, lost for words.“So this is Starr?” she asked, peering down at her daughter, resting her hand on her stomach.“Yes, isn’t she a dear little thing, Toby, look at your daughter,” his father Rick told him.“I am sorry. I am so sorry,” he mumbled, tears in his eyes, his voice failing him.“You do not get to do that. You do not get to come here all loved up and suddenly want to be a father to the child you wanted nothing to do with, because you now have another on the way.”“I…”“Should have been more careful, having unwanted pregnancies, but hang on you want this one. You just did not want our baby.” She stood, picked her daughter up and put her back in her pushchair. “I am sorry, I cannot do this, Rick, Tiffany, thank you, and sorry, but no, he cannot expect to be part of her, our life. When he cut us off after promising he would be there. And before you say it, I never asked you for money. I don’t want or need it.” That was a lie, she needed money, but she would not take it from him.“That is not fair,” he said, finding his voice.“Fair, really. So tell me where you were for the scans. Where were you when I was in labour with our daughter or when I brought her home? You did not even tell your own parents until nearly a month before she was due. So tell me, go on. You have not even seen her, and she is now six months old already. Not that you can even look at her, or do you want to play the…she is not my card again.”“I…”“You can see she is yours, just look at her. What more proof do you want. A DNA test?”“No, well…”“Toby sit down, Maxine, I am sorry he did this to you, he has told me he regretted it the day he left and never looked back. Yes, I knew, he told me.”“What the day you two were shacked up in bed while I was in labour, yeah, have you worked that bit out yet? She is the same age as how far along you are.”“I…”“Exactly. You expect me to let you back in. Why should I? She has no idea who you are, and that is your fault, not mine.”“I know, and I have had a lot to be sorry for, to regret. How could I suddenly expect you to let me back in your life when…”“You walked out and never contacted me again.”“Yes,” he said. “We, I want to be part of our daughter’s life. I was stupid, not ready because I did not want to be with you and…”“Yeah, I got that bit. She has a right to know her father, I agree on that much, but this, today, it’s too much.”“Okay, can I walk you out?” Ivy asked.“Sure, why not.”It took her a few minutes to stand. She followed her outside the café, leaving his parents and Toby inside.“I know this is a lot to take in. I get that, and the moment I knew about you and Starr, I told him that he should be in your lives. If he wanted to be a father to our baby, he needed to step up and be one to yours too.”“Ivy, I…”“I know, and I understand it’s hard for you. He never meant to stay away for so long, but the longer he did, he found it harder and as my bump grew. He knew it was something he should have done sooner, but the longer…”“I get it, but he cannot expect me to be happy to have him back in our lives after what he did.”“No, he doesn’t. He is scared to be a father to this one too, but he loves me.”“Well as long as he loves you.”“I am sorry.” She paused, the look on her face told Maxine she regretted saying it, but continued. “I am sorry, he did not love you enough to stay with you.”“Loved me enough, are you kidding. He loved me once or said he did. Maybe he never really loved me, but we were together for three years.”“Three years?”“What did he tell you we briefly dated?”She swallowed.“Oh, he said we were a one night stand?”She did not deny any of what she said.“Unbelievable.”“I am sorry. We need to move past this. No matter what we think. We are going to be in each other’s lives. Our children are going to be siblings.”“You are right. You are, but I cannot do this today. Maybe we can try again soon, but just me and Toby, no offence.”“Okay, I will ask him to meet you. Do you still have his number?”She nodded.“Okay then.”Ivy stood resting her hand on her swollen stomach. Maxine pushed her daughter forward, heading down the street away from the café.She had a message on her phone, as she looked at it, she thought it was from Toby, but it was not and read it again with a smile on her lips.She called the number back, a man with a deep gruff voice answered.“I had a message about a place to go look at.”“Sure, how about in an hour. Are you free then?”“I am.”

The place was perfect; she arrived at the two-bed bungalow and stood with her mouth open. The woman stood outside with a clipboard in her hand.The street was quiet; it had a small park at the end of the road and was an hour’s walk away from her old place. She entered and could imagine living there; it was a home, with a room for her daughter and a garden for Starr to play in. She took it and was told she could move in, in six weeks once the final paperwork was signed.Arriving back at her flat, she looked around it and smiled. She would no longer be living in this hell hole. Or have to put up with the kids across the street; they would no longer be her problem. She would ignore them for the time she had left to live in that street. Maxine sat her daughter in her cot with some toys while she made a list of things to do and organise. Could she ask his parents to help? She knew they would, even if they had Starr for her. She was not ready for Toby to have her. He could not just walk back in her life and expect to take her from her.Pen down, she leaned forward, picked up her phone and dialled her mother’s number. She was happy but wished she would move in with them, but Maxine wanted her own home. As much as she needed her mother’s help to watch her daughter while she was at work, she could not live with her again. It was not something she wanted, even if having a hand now and again would benefit her. Some nights the lack of sleep could be seen on her face, and no amount of make-up would hide the dark circles under her eyes. The late nights did not help, but she had to work. To give her daughter the life she deserved.“Your father and I will come over tomorrow, help you pack up a few bits. We will bring boxes. We can hire the van for the move.”“You do not need to do that, but it would help a lot.”“And I will take care of Starr.”“I was going to ask you or Toby’s parents, but preferred with the way things are if you took her.”“Well that part is sorted, is the rent much more?”“A little, but I can, will manage.”“Okay, well I cannot wait to see it.”“It even has a garden for Starr. It’s perfect.”

Laying Starr down in her bed later that night, Maxine heard a knock on her door. Hoping the sound would not wake her, she hurried to the door, laying the mug down beside the notebook with the list she had started earlier, which now had a large tick beside, van and Starr. Both sorted.Unlocking the door, she came face to face with both her ex and his fiancé.“Yes?”“We did not come here to fight, but to apologise for earlier. I should man up. That is what I wanted to say. My father is right; I am already a father and should act like it. With a second child on the way I should…”“Yes, I am sure he did. He is a good man your father. Is that all you wanted to say?”“No.”“Okay.”“I want to get to know my daughter. Can we come in?”“No, not now, she is asleep. If you want to see her, we can make arrangements. I am not having you come crashing into my, our life and want to take her for days at a time or…”“You are right. We should not expect that. She does not know us, but she should, she…”“You will be her stepmum; I know that Ivy, I know. But you have to understand she is not some toy he can pick up and dump when he cannot be bothered anymore. If and I mean you want to be a father, prove it.”“Let me help you find a better place to live, for both of you.”“I have already sorted that thank you. I told you I would. I have had my name down for a new place for a long time now. I move in in six weeks.”“Then let me have her the day you move.”“No, that is too soon, baby steps. You can meet me and spend time with her. Maybe we can go to the park, or swimming, she loves swimming.”“You don’t trust us alone with my daughter.”“No, because you did not want to know her or even care she was alive, now, you do. What did you expect would happen? That I would let you take her for the weekend?”“Well, I…”“I think she is right, Toby. If you want to be part of her life and have her in our child’s life; we have to respect Maxine too.”“Thank you,” she said.“Is there anything else?”They shook their heads and turned to leave as those boys exited their house again, music blaring. Maxine pulled the door too, hoping the music would not reach her daughter's ears and wake her.“Bet you will be glad to get away from that noise,” Ivy shouted over the blaring music.“Who you calling a noise, misses.”“Why don’t you learn some manners,” Toby said stepping towards his car and opening the door to let Ivy climb inside.“What are you going to do about it?”“Well, I could come over there and…”“Toby, I would not bother, they are not worth it. Just take Ivy home, go.”She saw him take a deep breath and did her best to not think about him naked. She had not thought about him like that for a while, maybe she needed more me time. Sex, she needed sex. She had not had any since she fell pregnant. If and when she allowed him to take care of their daughter, she could think about dating again, or just find a man to have sex with. Not that she was looking for a one night stand, but she had needs.If she allowed Toby to have Starr overnight, she could go out, meet men. Not just those that came to the pub or supermarket. It was not the way to find a man to date, but what options did she have?

As I have not posted for a while, I have decided to re-post this story from the beginning, my apologies and enjoy.

Part 1For months Maxine had thought non-stop about becoming Toby’s wife and starting a family with him. He informed her he was taking her somewhere nice; she believed he was going to pop the question. She was unable to keep the smile off her face. Although they did not live together, yet, she believed once he proposed, moving in would be the next step.Maxine spent hours getting ready, having her hair and nails done.She stood before the mirror in her bedroom staring at her reflection deciding if the dress she now wore was the right one. It was the third dress she had tried on. Satisfied, she added shoes and a light cardigan to the outfit.Stood by the window, she watched the street for activity; his car was yet to arrive. He was usually very punctual.Maxine lived in the bottom flat that was once a house. The people in the flat above her were once quiet people, but the day they brought home the dog, things changed. Yet Maxine knew she only had to put up with it for so long, because she genuinely believed that Toby was going to marry her and they would move into a house of their own.The street had been a nice place to live; she did not mind the dog that much, not really. Kids in the street were noisy, but no louder than she had been as a teen herself, that was until a new family across the street moved in. That day, things changed.She stood now at the window watching that very house. At first, they seemed a lovely couple, the children nice, polite, they seemed the perfect family. Something she wanted herself.The family before them had kept to themselves and they too were quiet and as it turned out were related to the family who owned the house. The house had been passed down to the oldest sibling. A perfect family home on a nice quiet street.They really did seem perfect, and Maxine wanted what they had, but as the years passed and the children grew. The family changed, became lazy. They never bothered to cut the grass or apply a lick of paint to the property. The mother was the laziest of them all, allowing her children to run riot, to scream and shout at all hours. Many who lived on the street had complained about them, Maxine did not want to confront them, even if she was fed up with the children herself. She vowed when they had children theirs would never be like that. How her views changed on those once quiet polite children.What happened to those children, they seemed feral now. She shook her head. All she knew once he proposed she would finally leave this flat and move. Into a place they would buy a place together. She got giddy thinking about it. Just as she thought about those children, did they appear, teenagers now, loud music blared from one of the boy's speakers that he balanced on the wall outside their home. At thirteen, the youngest was the worst, smoking the cigarette his brother handed him. She could hear them from where she stood, hoping they would be gone by the time Toby arrived.Twenty minutes later, the boys picked up the speaker and wandered down the street, yelling and kicking a car as they walked along the path until they were out of sight.She watched his car arrive and pull up outside her home, he tooted the horn. Usually, he would make his way to the door and walk her to the car, but not today, today he remained in the car. She wondered what was wrong, was he nervous? She knew he would be, it was how it should be. What if she said no, not that she had any intention of saying that.The smile remained on her face as she climbed into the car and he drove, not even saying hello. She looked forward, her heart racing, he looked worried, so nervous, she had thought. He looked pale; he did not need to be. Maxine knew he would have a lot to think about, like how he was going to do it. Go the whole way, down on one knee, or would he do it cheesy like and put it in a glass or a cake? She did not care, all she wanted to do was say yes and have him slide that ring her on her finger. She imagined the ring and how it would look on her finger, she had seen it all. The smile was something she unable to get of her face.He stopped the car, turned off the engine and walked around to her side of the car and opened her door. He did not take her hand. She put this down to nerves too. The smile still there, she was to excited.They were shown to a table, ordered food that the waitress suggested.It arrived twenty minutes later, the whole time he looked nervous, sweating. Maxine watched him watch her, she felt giddy the whole time, until the meal was eaten and the pudding arrived. She dove into the cake, hoping to find the ring; she made a mess as she dug around, finding nothing inside it. She looked confused, he frowned.“What are you doing?” he asked. He had not spoken a word until that moment.“Where is it?”“Where is what?”“The ring?”“What ring?”“What ring?” she repeated. It dawned on her; he had not brought her there to propose to her. “Why are we here?”“Oh, I get it,” he shook his head and laughed. This made her angry, her face red with embarrassment. “Oh, that ring. You really thought I was going to ask you to marry me?”“Yes, of course, I did, We’ve been together for three years now, Toby, I…”“Maxine, as much as I loved you, this, is not what is happening.”“Loved, what do you mean loved?” the fork that was in her hand tumbled from her fingers and clattered on her the plate, the sound loud in the silence that now filled the room. All ears were on them.“You really need me to spell it out.”“I don’t understand what is going on.”“It’s over, you, me, we are over.”“No, what, wait why?”“I don’t love you anymore.”“You don’t love me anymore? You brought me to this fancy restaurant to end things with me. What kind of person does that?”“I…”“Didn’t want me to cause a scene?”“Exactly.”“Three years. Three damn years we have been together, and you felt you could not just talk to me about this.”“I…”“Is there someone else?”“Why would you ask that?”“Why wouldn’t I?”“Because.”“Because this is out of the blue, last week we had sex every day, and you told me you loved me, what changed?”“I have been feeling like this for a while and…”“…so sleeping with me meant nothing,” she stood, threw back her chair and made her way to the door. “I can’t believe you would do this to me, like this Toby.”He stood watching her leave, not once attempting to follow her. The door closed behind her. Her heart broken, shattered into a thousand pieces, but she would not cry. In a way as she stood outside, she hoped it was part of it. She held her breath as she waited for him to follow her and tell her it was a joke, a cruel trick. Yet he did not follow her. She waited ten minutes for him to come out. When he did not, she realised it was over. She would not cry, not there, not now. She would wait until she was home, in the safety of her home. The home she hated. Realising she would not be escaping that place any time soon the tears threatened to fall before she arrived home.The moment she entered the flat, she removed the dress, kicked her shoes off and threw herself on the sofa and sobbed until sleep finally took her in the early hours.

The next morning, Maxine woke up at ten. She had booked a week off work and was thankful she had; she needed time to adjust to what had just happened. What she thought she would be doing was celebrating; instead, she needed time to mend her broken heart. She was not one of those women who would text and call and beg her ex to take her back. She was heartbroken; she needed comfort food and her mother. Showered, Maxine made her way to her mothers and entered using the key she had to her family home.“Mum,” she called out.“In here love.”As soon as she saw her mother, the tears fell freely again.“Oh, sweetheart what is the matter?”“It’s…Toby…he…he…”“Oh sweetheart, I am so sorry, I…”No more words were needed as her mother took her in her arms and held her. Releasing her, she stepped back and inhaled.“Right then, today is all about you. You’re not at work right?”“No, I have a week off.”“Good, I am taking you out. Go wash your face. You can use the makeup in my room, and then we are going to have a pamper day.”“Thank you, mum.”

Three weeks later, she had accepted that things were over. Maxine was not happy that they were not together anymore, she had loved him. Still did, and although she had not stalked him in person, she had online. Saw his status was still single, as was hers. She was thankful for that.Entering the supermarket for her morning shift as a shelf stacker, she passed the shelves where the woman’s monthly items were stored. It dawned on her she had not brought any that month. Checking her phone for her due date she realised it was a week past due, she was never late. Tilting her head she stared at her phone and then rolled her eyes, it had to be stress; it had happened before and she shrugged it off.“Morning. How was your weekend?” Hannah asked.“Same as always. You know I enjoy my one full day off, but I was here Sunday,” Maxine replied.“True, have you met the new boss?”“No, I haven’t. I thought he was due to start next week!”“Yeah, looks like he arrived early. Anyway, better go and get started.” She paused. “As long as I don’t get called to sit on checkouts again.”“Yeah, because they still expect us to get all our stock out even if we are stuck on checkouts for hours.”“Damn straight. See you at lunch.” Her stomach rumbled. “Although saying that I could eat now.”“Yeah me too, but I will not be eating in that canteen, I heard it’s gone downhill since they changed the menu and suppliers.”“Yeah, I heard the same; we could walk to the café across the road. They do homemade lasagne. I really fancy some of that and it means I don’t have to cook later, so a win for me.”“Yeah, sounds good to me. I cannot be bothered to cook just for myself,” Maxine said.“Oh, Toby not taking you out anymore? Loved up at yours or his place now?”She shook her head, swallowed; she had yet to tell her they had split up.“Maxine, what’s wrong, what did I say?”“I…”“Oh I am so sorry, I didn’t mean to…”“It’s okay,” she inhaled. “I am still getting used to it being over, I just…he…we…I don’t know why he ended it. I just don’t get any of it.”“He dumped you?”She nodded.“I am here for you if you need me.”“Thanks, Hannah. We can talk more at lunch, see you then.”She patted her friend on the arm. Maxine hurried away, knowing her friend was watching her.

Lunchtime the two women walked to the café ordered and chatted about general things before Hannah brought up Toby.“He never said why?”“No, other than that he no longer loved me. I just wondered what I did, why he fell out of love with me. I mean we were together for three years, I deserve an explanation of some sort, don’t you think.”“Damn straight you do. I would have demanded to know,” she placed her fork down and lifted the mug of tea to her lips, sipped at it before continuing. “Unless…”’“That was the first thing I asked. He denied it, and his online status says he is single.”“What if he created a new account that you don’t know about, men are sneaky.”“I never thought of that. Should I snoop?”“Yes we should, but let me do it,” she said, pulling out her phone and tapping into it. “I can’t find any others than the one he has. Unless it’s under a new name, maybe…what was his nickname?”“He didn’t have one.”“Okay,” she said and winced and inhaled deeply.“Are you okay?”“Yeah, it’s just period pain. I don’t like to ask, but I wondered if you had any pads on you, I need to you know and realised I didn’t put any in my bag.”“I don’t have any on me, sorry.”“I need painkillers too, I should really stock up but I…”“Sorry, I have none of those either. Those new ones we stock should help with the cramps, have you tried them?”“Yes, they are brilliant; I had taken the last this morning. I should have got some on the way out, I will have to get some when we head back, but for now I need to see if they have any, be right back.”As she sat there thinking about her own late period her mind wandered to what if, what if she was pregnant. Her thoughts turned to winning him back, having the house she wanted for them to live in and the other children she had imagined they would have. She had visualised it all. She worried for a second if she had scared him off, but shook that thought and the thought she might be pregnant far from her mind. She too needed to buy supplies after work. Maxine made a mental note to pick them up after she finished, along with a test kit, just in case.

A few hours later the items she needed were in a bag, bought and paid for.Maxine arrived home and put them in the small cupboard in the bathroom, before reading the information on the test kit. It read to do it first thing. She could wait a few more days, her period was just late, and she knew the test was not really needed. She believed it, but when she woke the next morning, she thought about if she was. She had to know and could not wait a second longer.Tearing it from the packaging, she read what she needed to do, peed on it and waited for the results. Minutes passed, and she was soon sat on the toilet seat, the stick in her hand. She stared at the little pink line as it turned into a cross. Did this mean what she thought? She did a second test, leaving the third in the packet. The same result, crap, she was pregnant.She had to tell Toby, but first, she decided she needed it confirmed by a doctor. She had to be one hundred per cent sure. She knew that meant four days to wait for the results, but she already knew she was, the results were ninety-nine per cent.

The doctor confirmed her fear, she was, and now she had to tell Toby. She sent him a text, asking him to meet her; she needed to talk to him. He ignored it and had to ring him instead, still he did not answer.She sent more messages, saying she needed to talk to him and would meet him at a café, it was the least he could do. She gave him a time and place, telling him she would wait for him. She would not stop until he met her, and he knew she would not where this matter was concerned she would not let it go.Dressed in jeans, a jumper and trainers, Maxine arrived at the café, sat at a table by the window and waited. Picking up packets of sugar and emptying the contents into a coffee as she waited. She watched the road for his car.The coffee half-drunk as she waited another fifteen minutes passed, she ordered a second mug. Which she now sat with her hands wrapped around it. Just as she was about to give up, she saw his car and watched him enter the café. He looked as he always did, her heart flipped. He slumped in the seat opposite her. “So what do you want Maxine?”“Toby, there is no need to speak to me like that.”“Why am I here?”“I wanted to talk to you.”“About?”“Us?”“There is no us, I told you, I don’t love you anymore.”“I know that I do, but why? I deserve to know why, what happened?” “Nothing happened. I just stopped loving you, simple as that. It happens.”“I…”“Why am I really here?”“You want the truth?”“Yes, and if you think you and I are getting back together. That I would suddenly love you after three weeks apart you are mistaken.”“Okay, I get it, but I wanted to be the one to tell you this.”“Tell me what?” “I’m pregnant.”“It’s not mine,” he declared.“You know damn well that this baby is yours.” She scrunched up her nose and slammed the results from the doctors on the table.“That could be fake. How do I know it’s real?”“What do you want me to do, pee on a stick to prove it?”“Yes.” He nodded.“Fine, come back to mine. I have one left and I will.”“Fine,” he repeated.

The test sat on the sink as they both waited in silence. He watched the seconds pass by as the results showed him she was telling the truth.“Now do you believe me?”He could not deny it?“How do I know it’s mine?”“Really?”“Sorry, but I do have to ask.”“We have been broken up for three weeks; you know it’s yours.”She wondered if she should ask him with this news if they should try again?

Part 2The sound of him sighing was deafening in the silence. Maxine stood before him. Her heart racing and for whatever reason she still had feelings for the man before her. It had only been a few weeks she knew that. Her feelings were not about to change that quickly, unlike his. The way he was looking at her, she knew he did not love her, but they had three years of history, surely they were worth something.“I know you ended things, but I think…”“I don’t think it’s a good idea, no I am sorry, and this changes nothing.”“Why not?”“You want things I don’t. How do I know you did not do this on purpose?”“Like I would do that, you know me; you know that I would never do that.”He nodded, he did. He touched her hand briefly and told her that he was not sure trying again was the right thing for them, but he would try for the baby.“Really, you would do that?”“Yes, I…but…I am not going saying that things will be like they were before, we can take it one day at a time.”“You are right, we should do that.” She would agree to that, just to have him back in her life. She wanted to hug him, she touched his hand, and the touch of him sent shivers through her. He still affected the same way. Maybe this was a mistake, but she wanted him back in her life, she loved him. Maybe he would fall in love with her again. She could hope.“One thing I will say is you need to move out of this dump.”“I don’t want to live here any more than I did before, I…I can’t afford to move out of here, yet. I wanted to...”“I know what you wanted. We are not there yet. We may never be, but I want you to move out of here.”“I will as soon as I can.”Just then the boys from across the road arrived home; the sound of their music filled the flat. She stood and hurried over to the window and closed it. It blocked a little of the music out.“Wow, do kids today have no consideration for others?”“No, not those kids. Ours will be different.”“Kids, I don’t even want this one. We won’t be having any others together.”She looked at him, tears threatened to fall.“I am sorry, I did not mean it like that, but I…”“I knew and know what you mean, Toby, it’s a lot to take in. I am sorry, but it’s happening, and you are going to be a father whether you like it or not.”“I know you think I don’t know that. You have to give me a chance to get my head wrapped around this. All of it, I think I should go, I need time to think about it all, whether you and I getting back together really is the best thing. I think I have a right to do that, don’t you think?”She nodded, she had to agree, because he was right, he was the father, and he would be in their life no matter what. She just wanted him back as much as the baby she was carrying.“I will be back tomorrow.”She nodded and walked him to the door. The boys were out there still, music blaring, the boys yelling.“What ya looking at?” one said.Toby stepped towards his car, laid a hand on his roof and looked at them.“Nothing, what are you looking at?”“Nowt mate, except ya bird, she is well fit.”He looked up at Maxine as she blushed and watched him get in his car, start and rev the engine. The boys whooped as he sped away. She closed, locked and bolted her door.Stood at her window she watched the boys who were all staring up at her, could they see her, she wondered?Too tired to care, she made her way to her bed. Climbed in and closed her eyes, she was exhausted. She had not lied about that.

He arrived the next day a little after ten; he came bearing gifts, breakfast. He was trying, she knew he was and Maxine was grateful; she was hungry and devoured the food he placed before her.“Hungry?”“I was thank you.”“I wondered if you fancied a day out?”“Where?”“I don’t know. I thought we could just get away from here.”“You mean those boys?”“Yeah, I don’t trust them.”She agreed and pulled on her coat and followed him out to his car; the boys were there again, watching them. She climbed inside; he started the engine and drove away once again at speed.“Where do you want to go?” she asked.“How about we go find wallpaper or something for the flat to make it…”“We could do that.”They entered the shop, his hand touching hers briefly but never taking it; they walked down the aisles looking at the different patterns and colours. Some she liked some she shook her head at. Too much choice, she told him. He agreed, but she could have anything she wanted. The tins of paint lined the shelves, she wondered if she should paint instead, would she find that easier, she could not imagine he would help her. He had not offered. Would the paint cost less, she wondered.“We should get lunch. We still have a lot to talk about,” he said.She nodded and followed him to the small café that was up the stairs and to the left. They joined the queue, reading the menu; they picked what they wanted, ordered, his treat he said.“I can pay,” she informed him.“No, I said my treat today. You can pay next time. Now where shall we sit?” he asked as he scanned the café, she shrugged and followed him to a table near the window. As they waited for the food, they sat in silence. She watched the traffic.“I will drop you home after lunch,” he announced.She nodded again; it seemed he could only manage half a day with her.The food arrived, they ate, he cleared his plate and waited for her to finish. He was in a hurry. To others they looked like a couple, but they were not, it was clear to her. She somehow annoyed him, the way she ate, the amount of time it took to eat it. Everything she did, made him make a face and she knew he would never love her again. She finished the food, and she asked him to take her home. He never asked why.He pulled up outside her flat and waited for her to get out. When she did not move he turned to look at her.“I am not coming in,” he said.“I know.”“Is everything okay?”She nodded, but wanted to shake her head instead. She wanted him back even if he did not love her. For the baby she told herself.“Not really, but as I said we will try and I promise I will. I know you know I don’t love you anymore and…”“I know, but you have to know I still love you. I get you don’t feel the same way I do. I can’t and won’t be able to change that. Surely there are some feelings still there?”“I honestly don’t know if there are.”“How about we keep spending time together, take it one day at a time?”He agreed.She smiled, a small victory, and opened the door, before she could close it, he was off. She watched him drive away. Was he going to really try, she thought?

For the next three weeks, they spent most days together. He tried hard to make her happy, she knew he was trying. Yet she also knew he did not want what they were trying to do. She could see it on his face, in his voice.Three weeks she allowed it to go on. Her mother told her it was a stupid idea trying to win him back this way. She did not believe that was what she was doing; she wanted to with him, she wanted to be a family. It was all she wanted, what they once had. Was her mother right? Had she gotten pregnant on purpose? She knew that she had not.No matter what he or her own mother thought, it was not true. She had no idea that he wanted to end things, so how could she have planned it?He sat opposite, staring at her. She swallowed and watched him as he laid the book they had been sifting through on the table. They all looked similar to her.“So which one?” he asked.“I don’t know, Toby.” It was not what was on her mind, she could not discuss that when she knew she had to tell him things between them were not working. “We need to talk.”“I know. That is what we are doing, talking, and before you say anything. I am trying. You wanted this. You wanted us to try. I have done everything you have asked of me. If you want more, the way we were, the sex and…”“No, I get that, and I understand that it would have taken time.”“So…”“I don’t know, but this, us. You were right, we don’t work anymore.”“What are you saying?” “I am sorry, this was a stupid idea. I wanted it to work because I thought bringing a child into the world, we should be together. It is clear that you don’t want this. I thought maybe you would fall in love with me again. I prayed you would. I am hurting that you don’t, and I just can’t stop loving you.”“I am sorry that I don’t. I never meant to hurt you. I meant it when I said loved you once, but…”“I know.”“So, what are you saying?”“We are over, done. I should never have tried to make us, you try again.”“So how is this going to work now?”“I want you to be a father, to be there for our baby. I still want you to be there for the scans, the birth. That is if you want to be there?”“Okay, I do want to be there for those.”“Okay, good, I will let you know when they are.”He nodded. She could see the relief on his face, he looked more relaxed. His whole body no longer looked tense. Her feelings for him were not gone completely, but she knew it was not working and that there was no point dragging it out. It would take time, and if she continued to spend days with him, she would not be able to get over him. He would be in their life, but she had to do what was best for their child. She could not have him hating her for making him stay with her, for that reason.“I should go,” he announced. “We can talk in a few days about other things we need to decide on.”

A few days passed, he did not come around, phone or make any contact with her at all. It was then she realised he did not want to be in her or the baby’s life; she had made the right choice for her. He was not interested in being a father, he had made that clear. It had not been planned; she knew that, and he was not ready. She would do it alone, her mother told her it would be hard, and she knew she was right, but she would do it would. She was ready; she had a good six months to prepare herself.

A week later, she sat in her mother’s house, telling her they were not getting back together and that trying again had been a mistake. This time she made the choice that was right for both of them. He did not love her, and her feelings for him were slowly fading.“How about you come and stay here for a while at least until you find something more suitable.”“I couldn’t do that, Mum. It’s time to get this all into my head. I will do it on my own. I decided that when I ended things with him. I gave him an out, and he took it. I have not heard from him since he left. He said he would call. And to be honest, I am okay with that now. For the first few days I was angry. He isn’t ready to be a dad, and that’s fine, he is as far as I am concerned the sperm donor and if...”“He should man up and be a father. I understand he is not ready, but he should…”“Mum, I cannot make him, he made his choice.”“You should come stay here. I mean it. That flat is no place for a pregnant woman.”“Mum!!”“Okay, but you know you have other options.”“Options?”“Yes, options. Are you really ready to be a mum? A single mum?”“You are saying I should get rid of it aren’t you?”“No sweetheart. What I meant I don’t know what I was saying, but I want what’s best for you.”“I know, but I couldn’t have an abortion, or give it up. I couldn’t do that, not ever,” she said.“It will be hard, really hard.”She knew that, did her mother not understand she knew that.

Her mother was right about one thing. Doing it alone was going to be hard. Toby had said he would stay involved.After no contact for the first month, Toby contacted her and apologised, said he would be there for her. And he was, for the first scan, for the first shopping trip to make a list of what she needed for the baby. Then he was busy or could not make it for whatever reason.Months passed, and he stopped calling to cancel, and she let it go. She refused to call him. She had let him back in, and he had let her down, again. She was not doing it anymore; it was not fair to her or her baby.As time passed her stomach grew, her feet swelled. Doing simple things became impossible.Three weeks before she was due to give birth, she contacted him. She felt it was the right thing to do sending him a reminder that she was close to having his baby. He never replied, her mother told her he would do this; he was not ready to be a father at all.The move to a new place never happened. She remained in the flat and the attempts to decorate it were put on hold as her stomach expanded. Besides she had put her name on a new two bed flat and would move as soon as one was available.

She stood at the window as she did many nights after a long day at work, from both jobs. She needed the money now more than ever. The children from across the road were louder than usual. She wanted this move sooner rather than later.How could she bring a baby home to this dump? She did not want her mother to know she agreed with her about the flat, or Toby. The cot remained in its box. Ready to be assembled. Her mother had promised she would help her, but never came over to do so. She hated the flat and had a run-in with those kids and refused to come if they were about; they barely went to school, so they were around a lot.Hours passed while she made attempts to do it, but she could not manoeuvre it around her bump. It would have to wait.The sound of the boy’s music entered her flat; she wondered how a baby was going to sleep with that racket. She barely slept herself. She stood, which now took longer to do, hands on the chair to push herself up. Finally stood, she and moved to the window and closed it, blocking out some of the sounds.The phone rang making her jump, was it him?“Hello, Maxine speaking.”“Hi, Maxine, this is Toby’s mum.”“Hi, how are you?”“I am good. I am so sorry that I have not contacted you until now. Toby didn’t tell me we were going to be grandparents. We found out…”“He didn’t,” she interrupted.“No, he…I don’t know what to say other than I apologise about him. How could he turn his back on you two? I know you two are not together anymore…” she was crying by this point, Maxine was crying too, anyone crying made her cry. Maxine told her she was more than happy to have her in the baby’s life, she was the grandmother, and she was welcome any time. It had not occurred to her that he had not told them.“Right now?” she said.“If that is okay, I…”“Sure, I…sure.”She arrived half an hour later, a huge cake in her hands and carrying a bag of goodies, nappies and clothes for the baby.“I didn’t know what you were having, we…” she indicated to Toby’s father. “Wanted to come and let you know, just because he…I know he’s not been in contact with you. He said he was going to and that he wanted to be a father, but then he changed his mind. He was not ready and we told him, didn’t we, that he should tell you. I don’t care that he is not ready, this baby is part of him, it's our family. If you want us to be…”“Yes, please. Yes I do, of course, I do.”“Good,” his mother began. She looked around the flat. “Ah yes, tea, we should have tea to go with the cake. Don’t get up, I will make it.”“And I will make that cot up. If my son were a real man, he would be here doing stuff like this, and yes I told him didn’t I dear?”She nodded.“If he was here this would be done. The place would be ready. Now, we are here for you, night or day. I will have this up in a jiffy.”Maxine watched his father; he was much like his son and imagined he looked just like him when he was younger. He had aged well, and he indeed had the cot up in a jiffy as he put it. His mother was in the kitchen, cleaning, she knew she could hear the water sploshing as she sang as she waited to the kettle to boil. She admitted she had not washed the dishes for the day. She was too tired and planned to do them in the morning. She thanked her when she carried the tea and cake through, telling her it was the least she could do.They came around three times a week before the baby was born. The day she went into labour she called Toby and his parents. They arrived and waited outside with her mother who would say she could not come in and see her daughter in so much pain.The pain was an understatement, if being ripped in two then no one could compare the pain she had experienced as her daughter made her way into the world. A perfect little baby, she had all her fingers and toes. She was beautiful.

Three days later, sat alone in her flat, the music grating on her last nerve as her daughter screams filled the air. She stood and opened her door and shouted out it.“Turn your music down, for the love of God.”“We ain’t got to do nowt you say, love. We can have it on til eleven, me mam said.”“Well I am telling you, we all have to live here, so why not turn it down a notch. I am asking nicely, just think of others.”“Nah, we want it loud in’t it.”“Is that right. How about I come down there and take that off ya.”“You wouldn’t dare?”She wouldn’t, but she was tired, her daughter cried and fed a lot.“We will if you show us your tits. They are massive now, come on, love,” this came from the youngest. Just as the door to the house opened and his mother came out.“What’s going on?”“What is going on, let me tell you. Your son just asked me to show my tits to him, to get the music turned down?”“Did he now?”“Yes.”“Why don’t you get back in your flat and sort that baby out I can hear its crying from here.”“I am surprised you can hear her over that noise your kids call music.”“They can play that until eleven; I know the law, love.”“Yes, but you also have to be respectful of your neighbours.”“Well, I…”By this point a few others had come out of their homes and joined in, agreeing with Maxine.“Is that how it is going to be is it? You all ganging up on us? What have we ever done to you lot?”“For one,” the woman two doors down started. “Your kids should be in school, and then at least we could have peace during the day. They are loud, rude and have kicked my car and others down here more times than I can count. You don’t control them,” now she had started, she could not stop. “They need a good slap.”“Ah right, like your kids are angels?”“My kids are not little shits like yours, they at least do not terrorise the street.”“We do not!”“Yes you do!” another neighbour said.“Look all I want is the music turned down. The boys to be a little more respectful is that too much to ask?”“I don’t think so,” again this came from the woman two doors down.“Boys get in the house.”“Fuck off, we ain’t going anywhere. If they want to talk shit about us, we have a right to defend ourselves.”“Problem is, everything that has been said is true. You are rude, you are loud, and you do kick peoples cars and who knows what else you have done.”“We ain’t done nowt like that,” one of the older ones said.“Look I don’t want to argue, I am tired, I need sleep. Just turn it down that is all we ask. You respect us, and we will respect you. How hard is that?”The mother nodded, her face red, Maxine realised they ruled the house. Maybe she would step up and be the mother she should be. She watched her march over to her son and removed the boom box from her son's hand. Turned it off, silence filled the air.“You lot get the fuck in the house, I am sorry everyone, you are right.”“Don’t agree with them. We ain’t done nowt.”“No, but you know as well as I do that things need to change if you want to stay here. I told you and you,” she started as she pushed them in the house, raising her voice. The boys entered heads hung. The neighbours clapped; maybe just maybe they would be quieter.For three days they went to school and the street was quiet. Everyone hoped they would remain that way, but one of the boys soon reverted back to their old ways, and the others soon followed.Maxine gave up; she wanted to move as soon as she could. She watched her week old daughter and fed her until they both fell asleep, exhausted.